Zulkiflee Sebli
KUCHING (Jan 8): The Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) is looking forward to working together with both federal and state education ministries once education autonomy is returned to Sarawak.
Its president Zulkiflee Sebli said when Sarawak has autonomy on education, this would help resolve various issues regarding education in the state.
“One of them is the ongoing issue concerning shortage of teachers issue which is quite critical in our state.
“KGBS is confident that with the autonomy, the Sarawak government through the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development together with teachers’ associations in the state can form a committee to discuss specific issues at schools such as teacher shortage and dilapidated schools,” he told The Borneo Post.
He was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof’s statement yesterday that the federal government has in principle agreed to return autonomy in education and health to Sarawak.
Zulkiflee said with the return of education autonomy to the state, new positions can be established at schools such as teacher assistants, laboratory assistants as well as school wardens.
He said Sarawak can be used as a pilot state for other states in establishing these positions.
“KGBS believes that these three positions should be present in schools, particularly the post of laboratory assistant at primary schools.
“At Grade A primary schools, there are no laboratory assistant positions even though the schools in question have fully equipped science laboratories.
“Science labs become white elephants because there is no monitoring and management. Only the science teacher can manage the laboratory part-time because of his or her commitment to teaching other classes,” he said.
He pointed out that laboratories that are not managed full-time could pose a danger to students.
“By establishing the position of laboratory assistants, this will definitely help in improving the quality of our education.
“Teachers can focus on teaching without having to prepare the apparatus because the laboratory assistant would be the one preparing them,” he said.
He said the same also applied to teacher assistant posts who can assist teachers in administrative affairs.
“Teacher assistants will smoothen the teaching process of teachers, who can then focus on students in the classrooms,” he said.
He said KGBS is confident that when the return of Sarawak’s education autonomy becomes a reality, teachers in the state will enjoy their time teaching which in turn will also reduce their stress.
Fadillah at an event in Sibu yesterday said the return of education and health autonomies to Sarawak was part of the move to further strengthen the state’s rights as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
He also said that the federal government was currently working out the details on the matter.